As I began my research, I quickly realized 3 days isn’t nearly enough time for Iceland! If you want to see the whole country in one go, think more like the upwards of 10 or 12 days. But if like us, you only have a long weekend, you can accomplish a lot AND it’s just more reason to return!It is possible to drive the Golden Circle in a day (even in the short winter days!) but we decided to spread it over two days and save our last day for the infamous Blue Lagoon! During winter, the sun can rise as late as 11AM and set by 3PM…add to that, an overcast and cloudy day and you’ll be glad you spread the trip over two days!There are plenty of tours you can take to see the sites of the Golden Circle but renting a car is really the best option, especially if you’re a photo-obsessed crazy woman like me! And there are so many great little photo ops along the way, so having your own car gives you so much more freedom. The roads on the Golden Circle are all pretty well paved and we did not have a four-wheel drive vehicle.Our car rental company gave us a GPS, which was great because there were moments when my cell signal was nonexistent. You can also download your route with Google maps to use it offline, just in case!

The must stops on the Golden Circle include :

STROKKUR GEYSER : the only active geyser in the area, erupting every eight to ten minutes!

GULLFOSS WATERFALL : a popular GC stop off, the Hvítá river collapses into the ravine for a pretty impressive view, sometimes a light splashing mist, and keep your eyes peeled, rainbows!

SECRET LAGOON : well, not so secret anymore. It’s the same concept of the Blue Lagoon but much smaller and without the bright blue! It was a quiet stop off for us and in the freezing cold, the hot lagoon was such a nice treat! See more here!

SELFOSS : the cute little lakeside town is a great stop off for the night, for snacks, or the beautiful views.

THINGVELLIR (þingvellir) : the National Park has it all…lakes, waterfalls, hiking, and of course, Silfra fissure, the opening between the North American and Eurasian continental plates. You can actually dive between the two plates here!

KERID CRATER LAKE : the red volcanic rocks covered in green drop to a crater of deep blue water!

REYKAJAVIK : of course, don’t even think of skipping the capital city! Take a peak off the top of Hallgrimskirkja Church for the best views. Grab a coffee at The Laundromat and wander the cute old town area. For a seriously delicious burger, head to Hamborgarbullen!

The last day we spent hours lounging at the Blue Lagoon. I have to admit I was a little skeptical about visiting–it just seemed overdone in some way and it seems like everyone has been! But I cannot stress enough, you have to do it!! It was SO much fun and seriously felt like another world. The Blue Lagoon is between the airport and the Reykjavik so it makes for a perfect stop before leaving Iceland! Be sure to book your tickets online before…we did the Premium tickets which include towels, a robe, slippers and first drink free! 

For our three nights in Iceland, we stayed at these hotels along the Golden Circle : 

Hotel Ranga, a remote ranch style hotel with the perfect setup for Aurora views! Read more here.

Hotel Selfoss, a lakeside stay in the little town of Selfoss. Read more here!

Hotel Silica, the Blue Lagoon Hotel. This was such a great place to stay! They have their own private lagoon area (that was perfect for a late night dip!) and the stay includes entry to the Blue Lagoon.